Smell, But Don't Taste: A New Food Trend You'll Hate

Mmm, smell the fried chickenWacky inventors are what makes this world interesting, and a new food vaporizer thingamajig from across the pond called "Le Whaf" gives us a Willy Wonka-esque man behind the fishbowl of food smells. David Edwards wanted to create an experience, rather than a meal, and this bowl full of vaporized food and drink smells, is definitely that. But would you go to a restaurant that only served the smell of food?

I can hear the collective, "hell, no!" but there are a few reasons I believe Le Whaf just might be bigger than the Segway once it hits the shelves this fall. (Yes, I realize the actual reach of the Segway.) At only 85 British pounds, it's not like it's completley out of reach for the average foodie.

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When The Jetsons introduced food pills to the world, everyone knew that was futuristic, and unpleasant, because who would ever not want to bite into a juicy steak or a chocolate souffle? Yet, the vitamin and supplement market, which is arguably pills you take when you're not eating the right foods, is exploding. So who's to say this idea of satiating ourselves by smelling a pizza instead of eating one, might not be useful in the future for dieters?

Also, for those of us with food allergies, Le Whaf could allow us to soak up the smell of crusty bread, without the horrible reaction we have to eating it. (Although I would hope Edwards ran an experiment of this nature, because I would hate to see a bunch of gluten-allergic people freaking out in Hulk-like proportions after smelling bread, but not getting to bite into anything but air.)﻿

And don't forget those very rich, and very thin people parties. While I've never been myself, I can only assume they sit around not eating food, so this would be a fun party game. "Well, I don't recognize that smell as lemon tart, as I never consume sugar!" Good times!